Match Pack: RC Celta vs Athletic Club (LaLiga MD3)

Athletic Club will take on RC Celta Vigo in their LaLiga Santander 2021-22 Matchday 3 fixture. The Rojiblancos will travel to Balaídos this Saturday (17:00 CEST) with the aim of getting a first victory of the season.

Marcelino García Toral’s side have performed well so far, and are unbeaten after the first two fixtures, but the Lions will be desperate to put a notch in the ‘wins’ column.

This is another classic LaLiga fixture, and one which stands out for the sense of camaraderie among both sets of fans.

In non-pandemic times, Athletic fans would head to Balaídos in droves, fully aware that a brilliant atmosphere awaited them in Galicia.

Match info

RC Celta vs Athletic Club (Matchday 3)

Balaídos (Vigo)

LaLiga Santander 21-22

Saturday August 28, 17:00 CEST

How to watch

Check our list of international LaLiga TV operators and global kick-off times to make sure you catch the game, no matter where you plan on watching from.

Team news

Goalkeeper Unai Simón is fully rested after his summer of international exploits and he goes straight back into the matchday squad.

Summer signing Alex Petxarroman has recovered from a knock and also get his first nod in an Athletic LaLiga Santander squad list. Fellow full-back Ander Capa is also back from injury.

Marcelino’s comments

Marcelino was adamant that if Athletic can keep up the level they showed against FC Barcelona last week, then they’ll pick up more positive results across the campaign than negative ones.

Click on the link to see what else the first-team head coach had to say at his RC Celta vs Athletic Club pre-match press conference.

The opponents

Final league position in 20-21: 8th

Head coach: Eduardo Coudet

The Argentinian coach, and former player (he had a spell on loan at Celta in 2002-03), took over at the Galician side on November 12 2020, although he didn’t manage his first match until November 29 due to finalising paperwork.

At the time, Celta were in 18th place with just one win from their first nine fixtures. Coudet, also known as “Chacho”, immediately led the team to a six-match unbeaten run which stretched until the New Year.

Celta were able to maintain their form under the new boss, and also put together a five-match winning streak towards the end of the season to secure eighth place.

Star man: Iago Aspas

With the exception of a two-year stint at Liverpool FC, and a loan spell at Sevilla FC, Iago Aspas has spent his entire career at his boyhood club, becoming an iconic figure in the process.

The 34-year-old forward, who can play on either flank or through the middle, has scored a total of 116 LaLiga goals for Celta since making his top-flight debut in 2012-13. He made his official debut for the Celestes in 2007-08 while they were in the Segunda and scored 34 goals in that competition.

Aspas regularly finishes as the team’s top goalscorer in LaLiga and did so last season too, with a return of 14 strikes from 33 appearances. What’s more, he’s played five matches against Athletic at Balaídos, finding the back of the net on four occasions (2012-13, 2017-18 x2, and 2019-20).

Last match: 0-0 vs CA Osasuna

Previous meetings

The Lions’ overall track record at Balaídos in LaLiga is not the greatest. Since their first visit to Vigo in 1939-40, Athletic have won 18 matches, drawn 13 and lost 24.

However, there is one positive statistic for Los Rojiblancos. They’ve picked up points from 10 of their last 12 league matches against the Galicians.

Athletic won on six occasions: 2003-04 (0-2), 2005-06 (0-1), 2014-15 (1-2), 2015-16 (0-1), 2016-17 (0-3) 2018-19 (1-2), and drew on four: 2006-07 (1-1), 2012-13 (1-1), 2013-14 (0-0) and 2020-21 (0-0). Of those 12 meetings, they only lost twice: 2017-18 (3-1) and 2019-20 (1-0).

What’s more, in recent years Balaídos has been fairly pleasant stomping for Raúl García, the forward hit the back of the net four times during his first three league matches at the stadium in an Athletic jersey.

The two sides last met at Balaídos in March 2021. The LaLiga match ended in a 0-0 draw. It was a tight game in which both defences were in good form, but Asier Villalibre stood out for Los Leones.